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'They Are Full Of Passion And Energy': Sen. Tina Smith Pushing To Help Younger, Struggling Farmers

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Sen. Tina Smith says she wants to help Minnesota farmers struggling during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Minnesota Democrat stopped by Big River Farms in Marine on St. Croix Sunday. The farm works with Minnesota immigrants and farmers of color to help them learn to raise and market crops.

READ MORE: Sen. Tina Smith And Jason Lewis Debate Minnesota Agriculture, Health Care

She also discussed how the pandemic has impacted their work.

"These are younger farmers, farmers that are trying to get into agriculture and they're struggling to get access to land, and to try to get access to the capital that they need to build out their farms," Smith said. "They are full of passion and energy, and I want to make sure that the USDA programs that we have are supporting these farmers as well as the farmers that are growing big commodities crops on thousands of acres."

Smith is a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee.

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